Jimmer Fredette’s No. 32 Retired: A BYU Legend Cemented in the Rafters
Jimmer Fredette’s name has echoed through the halls of BYU basketball history for over a decade - now, it’s etched into the very fabric of the program. On Saturday night, the Cougars made it official, lifting Fredette’s iconic No. 32 jersey into the Marriott Center rafters during a halftime ceremony against Colorado.
It’s been 15 years since Fredette last suited up in Provo, but the impact he made hasn’t faded one bit. The 2011 consensus National Player of the Year now joins an elite club of BYU legends with retired numbers - Danny Ainge, Kresimir Cosic, Mel Hutchins, and Roland Minson. That’s not just good company; it’s the Mount Rushmore of Cougar hoops.
The halftime ceremony was a celebration of a career that transcended the box score. BYU athletic director Brian Santiago led the proceedings, joined by university president Shane Reese, former head coach Dave Rose, and Fredette’s family - a fitting tribute for a player whose game brought families, students, and fans from across the country together.
Speaking after the ceremony, Fredette was visibly moved.
“It’s pretty wild,” he said, trying to find the words. “You see the few jerseys that are up there - it’s not easy to get your jersey retired at BYU. So it’s a special thing to be able to have that.”
For Fredette, the timing made the moment even more meaningful.
“I’m glad they waited the 15 years, honestly,” he said. “Now I get to have all my three kids there. So to be able to have that experience with my family… I’ve been speechless, honestly.”
And who could blame him? Fredette’s senior season in 2010-11 was nothing short of legendary.
He averaged a program-record 28.9 points per game, led BYU to its first Sweet 16 appearance in three decades, and captured the imagination of college basketball fans across the country. “Jimmermania” wasn’t just a local phenomenon - it was a national craze.
Looking back, Fredette credited both the team’s on-court success and its off-court charisma.
“I think our team was just very likable. We were really good, obviously, so I think that plays a part,” he said. “If we weren’t great, I don’t think this would be the same.”
But what made Fredette’s rise even more unique was the way BYU’s global fan base rallied around him. As he pointed out, the university’s connection to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gave the program a worldwide reach - and Fredette gave those fans a reason to cheer.
“There’s BYU fans all over the country, all over the world,” he said. “So people all over were seeing that there were BYU fans, and it kind of just resonated with the rest of the country. It was a really unique and special time.”
The Marriott Center crowd certainly remembered. Every seat in the sold-out arena was draped with a white replica Fredette jersey, and when he stepped onto the court, the chants were deafening: “Jimmer!
Jimmer! Jimmer!”
It was a moment that felt both nostalgic and timeless - a reminder of how deeply Fredette is woven into the identity of BYU basketball.
Even now, years removed from his college days and a professional career that took him around the globe, Fredette remains a symbol of what BYU basketball can be - electrifying, unselfish, and rooted in something bigger than the game.
“It means a lot to me,” he said. “I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and that’s what this institution is about.
I try to be a good person and someone who’s kind to people… I hope that when people see me or talk to me, they feel like I try to treat them the right way. That’s the most important thing.”
On Saturday night, BYU didn’t just honor a basketball player. They honored a legacy. And now, every time a Cougar fan looks up at the rafters, they’ll be reminded of the kid from Glens Falls who lit up the scoreboard, brought a community together, and gave college basketball one of its most unforgettable rides.
Jimmer Fredette. Forever in the rafters. Forever a Cougar.